Frozen Sick
Something is killing people in Palebank Village, and if the characters don’t stop it, they might be next. “Frozen Sick” is an adventure that takes characters from 1st to 3rd level and introduces them to the continent’s Biting North region—the bleak arctic realms of the Greying Wildlands and Eiselcross.
If your players are using the heroic chronicle to create their characters (see chapter 4 in the Explorer's Guide to Wildemount), work with them to decide how they made their way to Palebank Village. Are they citizens of Uthodurn now aiding in the surface expansion of their civilization? Have they come north to seek freedom from the wars of other lands? Any number of options can help tie characters to this frigid region and the mysteries it holds.
Story Overview
Urgon Wenth, a dwarf explorer, recently returned home to Palebank Village after exploring the icy wastes of Eiselcross for a year. The dwarf brought home several items plundered from ruins on Foren, the largest of Eiselcross’s islands. Among these treasures were two beautiful blue glass vials, which Urgon sold to an elf collector named Verla Pelc. The vials were then stolen, given to a fence out of Shadycreek Run, and sold again to an unsuspecting merchant.
In truth, the vials’ beautiful blue color is the result of deadly blue spores that cling to the interior of the glass. Faint cracks in both the vials have exposed each person who handled them to frigid woe, a deadly disease that can’t be cured by conventional means. The disease has already killed Urgon and Verla, turning them into ice statues. Details on frigid woe are found in the “Eiselcross” section of chapter 3 of Explorer's Guide to Wildemount.
Adventure Summary
While the characters are in Palebank Village, community leader Elro Aldataur asks for their help figuring out who or what has killed Urgon Wenth. An explorer recently returned from Eiselcross, Urgon was afflicted by a strange malady that turned him into an ice statue, and which has since shown up in another of the village’s residents. The characters investigate the mystery while contending with the forces of the Uttolots, one of the criminal families that control Shadycreek Run. More infected locals are discovered, including one more already dead, before the characters clear Uttolot thugs out of a local cavern complex called Croaker Cave. In the end, the vials of frigid woe are reclaimed, but merchant Irven Liel and his family are infected and will be the next to die without a cure. Moreover, the characters might well be infected with the disease themselves.
Elro asks the characters to travel to Eiselcross to seek a cure for frigid woe. The characters take a boat to Syrinlya, the Uthodurnian outpost on Foren, and retrace Urgon Wenth’s path to the ruin of Salsvault. This magic laboratory was once a part of Aeor, an ancient flying city-state that crashed into Eiselcross during the Calamity. Only by braving Salsvault’s defenses and deadly guardians can the adventurers find the antidote they need.
Setup and Starting Points
Work with the players to establish why their characters are in Palebank Village. You can provide information regarding the village and its surrounding lands, all of which are described in chapter 3 of Explorer's Guide to Wildemount.
Before the adventure begins is also the time to figure out if the characters already know each other or if this adventure is the first time they’ve met.
Mystery in Palebank Village
The adventure begins in Palebank Village, with the characters drawn immediately into the drama of death in an isolated settlement. Once the players are ready to begin, read or paraphrase the following to set the scene:
As part of their characters’ backstories, the players can decide whether any of them knew Urgon or whether they’ve come to the funeral simply to show respect to the folk of the community. Either way, continue by reading the following:
Whether the characters are known in the village as neophyte adventurers or simply look the part, Elro (a neutral good, male wood elf veteran) hopes that they’re the sort of people not afraid to step up to help folks in need. Use the following points to help guide the conversation as he explains his concerns to the characters:
- Two months ago, Urgon Wenth returned home after exploring Eiselcross for a year. He had been back for only for a few days when he came down with a strange affliction, which made the dwarf move slowly and caused blue veins to appear all over his body.
- The village’s priests of Moradin and Corellon used every spell they could muster to attempt to heal Urgon, but nothing they tried could stop the bizarre malady. Urgon battled the affliction for weeks, until his ever-slowing body eventually turned to ice.
- Until yesterday, Elro and the rest of the community believed that Urgon’s sad fate was an isolated incident, most likely caused by something the dwarf came into contact with while exploring Eiselcross. Then Elro noticed Tulgi Lutan, a dwarf trapper, showing signs of the same illness.
- Alarmed, Elro tried to talk to Tulgi about it, but she pushed him away, asking that he let her die in peace.
Elro’s Request
If the characters are willing, Elro wants them to find out what caused Urgon and Tulgi’s affliction. He’s worried that it could spread, but Tulgi refuses to talk to him, and the Glassblades in the village are better known for their combat skills than their ability to glean the truth in a complicated situation. Moreover, Tulgi is extremely distrustful of the authorities.
Elro thinks a group of adventurers might have better luck convincing Tulgi to talk. If the characters agree to help find the cause of Urgon and Tulgi’s affliction, Elro offers to pay them 100 gp. He suggests that the characters start by searching Urgon’s home or talking to Tulgi at her cabin.
Urgon’s Cabin
Urgon Wenth lived in a one-story, one-room log cabin at the edge of town. A good-natured Glassblade rookie named Mila Teno (a lawful good, female wood elf scout) stands guard outside the front door. If the characters explain why they’ve come, she allows them to enter the house and look around. When the characters enter the cabin, read:
Any character who examines the mess in the cabin realizes that someone recently trashed the place while searching it. A successful DC 12 Intelligence (Investigation) check reveals the intruder’s footprints. Tulgi Lutan was the culprit, desperate for any clues that might help her cure the frigid woe that is killing her. Her tracks lead outside and back to her cabin (see “Tulgi’s Cabin” below).
Adventuring Equipment
Urgon’s adventuring equipment consists of a silvered maul; a suit of splint armor sized for a dwarf; bulky, fur-lined clothing sized for a dwarf; a grappling hook; and a hooded lantern.
Mounted Head
A character who succeeds on a DC 15 Intelligence (Nature) check recognizes that the head mounted above the mantle belonged to a yeti, a monstrosity found in Eiselcross.
Strange Receipt
A character who searches through the books on the shelf and succeeds on a DC 10 Intelligence (Investigation) check finds a folded receipt used as a bookmark. The receipt is dated two months previous, and indicates that Urgon sold several Aeorian items found in Eiselcross to local antique shop Pelc’s Curiosities for 1,000 gp. The items are listed as a dagger, a scroll case, a jade statuette, a quiver of twenty arrows, a silver ring set with a jasper, and two blue glass vials.
Characters who are residents of Palebank Village or have been there for a while know of Pelc’s Curiosities—and also know that the shop was robbed and vandalized two months ago.
Development
After searching the cabin, the characters can continue their investigation by going to Tulgi’s cabin or by stopping at Pelc’s Curiosities (assuming they found the receipt).
Tulgi’s Cabin
When the characters approach Tulgi’s cabin, read:
Tulgi Lutan’s home is a one-story, one-room log cabin. Because she isn’t keen on letting the characters in, the following features might be important:
- The roof of the cabin is 12 feet high. Climbing up the outside walls requires a successful DC 10 Strength (Athletics) check.
- The wooden door to the cabin is locked and has AC 15, 18 hit points, and immunity to poison and psychic damage. The lock can be picked with a successful DC 12 Dexterity check using thieves’ tools, or the door can be forced open with a successful DC 15 Strength (Athletics) check. Tulgi carries the key that unlocks the door.
- Each of the cabin’s four walls has one window, which is shuttered and latched from the inside. A window can be unlatched from outside with a successful DC 12 Dexterity check using thieves’ tools.
- The inside of the cabin is brightly lit by fires in a brazier and a fireplace, though the smoky haze given off by both makes the interior lightly obscured.
If the characters knock on the door, Tulgi Lutan (a neutral evil, female mountain dwarf thug with a walking speed of 10 feet) calls from the other side, telling them to go away. A character who shouts back through the door and succeeds on a DC 12 Charisma (Deception, Intimidation, or Persuasion) check convinces Tulgi to open the door and allow the party inside. Otherwise, she ignores anything the characters say.
If the characters aren’t invited inside, they’ll have to decide what other means they’re willing to use to enter. Regardless of how they do so, when the characters enter the cabin, read:
If the characters broke into the cabin, Tulgi attacks as soon as she sees them, fighting until reduced to 10 hit points, then surrendering. She has two pet wolves, Iro and Jira, that hide beneath her bed. If a fight breaks out, the wolves join the fray to defend her.
Fire Hazards
Any creature that comes into contact with the brazier or the fireplace for the first time on its turn, or that starts its turn there, takes 2 (1d4) fire damage.
What Tulgi Knows
Tulgi is gruff and to the point, and tries to compensate for her illness with bluster. If the characters entered the cabin with her permission or if she surrenders to them, she tells them only that she has the same affliction that killed Urgon, and that she’s looking for a cure.
A character who succeeds on a DC 12 Charisma (Intimidation or Persuasion) check convinces Tulgi to reveal the following information:
- Tulgi came to Palebank Village a few years back from Shadycreek Run with her sister, Hulil. Both work for the Uttolot family.
- The Uttolots sent the sisters and a few others to the village to keep an eye on treasures coming back from Eiselcross—with the intent of stealing them. When such artifacts come through the small settlement, they are often unusual goods that treasure hunters are trying to keep away from Uthodurn or the Dwendalian Empire.
- When Urgon Wenth returned to Palebank Village with treasures from Eiselcross, Tulgi saw her chance. She waited for Urgon to sell his finds to Pelc’s Curiosities, then stole them all.
- Tulgi gave most of Urgon’s relics to Hulil, but kept one for herself—an ornate dagger. She grudgingly gives this weapon to the characters if asked (see “Treasure” below). Hulil has the other items in a site north of the village known as Croaker Cave.
- Tulgi was the one who searched Urgon’s cabin, convinced that the dead dwarf must have had magic or other secrets stored away there.
Treasure
If Tulgi doesn’t offer her dagger to the characters, any character with a passive Wisdom (Perception) score of 11 or higher notices the ornate blade in a gilded sheath tucked under her shirt. If the characters claim the +1 dagger, a successful DC 15 Intelligence (Arcana or History) check reveals that the dagger is a relic of the fallen flying city of Aeor.
Development
The characters have no trouble finding either Croaker Cave or Pelc’s Curiosities if either of those locations is their next destination. If things went bad with Tulgi and she died before revealing any information, the characters might find notes or instructions from Hulil revealing some of the information above.
Pelc’s Curiosities
Pelc’s Curiosities is an antique shop run by an introverted elf named Verla Pelc. Verla keeps to herself, opening her shop only when the mood strikes her. She trades any and all objects that interest her, shipping them across Wildemount. Characters who are residents of Palebank Village or have been there for a while know of Pelc’s Curiosities—and also know that the shop was robbed and vandalized two months ago. If the characters are recent arrivals to the village, anyone they ask about the shop mentions the robbery.
Pelc’s Curiosities is a one-story, two-room log cabin. The windows are shuttered and locked from inside, leaving the interior dark. The only entrance is the front door, but characters can force open one of the shutters around the back with a successful DC 12 Strength (Athletics) check, granting access to Verla’s quarters (see that section below).
When the characters approach the cabin, read:
Any character with a passive Wisdom (Perception) score of 11 or higher hears whispered voices and footsteps coming from inside the cabin. If the characters succeed on a group DC 10 Dexterity (Stealth) check, they can surprise the bandits currently in the shop.
Front Shop Area
The antique shop occupies the large front room of the cabin. When the characters can see into this area, read:
This area is difficult terrain thanks to the debris covering it. The five elves are bandits with darkvision out to a range of 60 feet, advantage on saving throws against being charmed, and immunity to magic that would put them to sleep.
The bandits attack as soon as they notice the characters, fighting until only one remains. That survivor then surrenders. If a captive bandit is questioned, a character who succeeds on a DC 10 Charisma (Intimidation) check can learn the following information:
- The bandits work for Hulil Lutan, a dwarf priestess of Tiamat. Hulil works for the Uttolot family of Shadycreek Run.
- Hulil’s sister, Tulgi, robbed Pelc’s Curiosities two months ago.
- Hulil is sick or cursed with some affliction that causes her to move slowly and is turning her veins blue.
- Hulil ordered the bandits to trash Pelc’s Curiosities in search of potions, scrolls, or other items that might help cure her. Despite their thorough search, the bandits found nothing useful. Hulil is hiding out with more bandits in Croaker Cave.
Verla’s Quarters
Verla’s quarters are at the back of the cabin. When the characters gain access to this area, read:
The figure in the bed is the unfortunate Verla Pelc, who was infected with frigid woe by Urgon Wenth’s Aeorian relics. Her symptoms appeared a few weeks after the shop was robbed, but the reclusive elf never told anyone about them.
Development
Questioning any of the bandits can turn up solid leads that can take the characters to Croaker Cave, or back to Tulgi’s cabin if there are other questions the dwarf has yet to answer. If they were unable to question the bandits, you can have one of the bandits carrying orders from Hulil that point toward the Croaker Cave hideout.
Croaker Cave
Characters local to Palebank Village or who have spent some time there know Croaker Cave. If all the characters are new arrivals to the village, any of the villagers can tell them about the cave and how to get there.
Croaker Cave gets its name from its resident giant ice frogs. Its entrance is on the shores of the Frigid Depths, due north of Palebank Village. As the characters draw close to the cave entrance, they see frequent signs of tracks where bandits have been coming and going. However, there are no signs of patrols or guards. A plume of smoke rises from the ground beyond the cave entrance, venting through a narrow natural chimney from area C6. The chimney is too small to be climbed, however, and the main cave entrance is the only entry point.
Knowing that the residents of Palebank Village avoid the cave and its dangerous frogs, Hulil Lutan has made the place her base of operations. She and the Uttolot bandits she commands have domesticated the giant ice frogs that make the cave their home, using them as guard animals.
Giant Ice Frogs
With the exception of Old Croaker (see area C5), giant ice frogs are giant frogs with immunity to cold damage.
The blue-skinned frogs attack any creatures in the cave complex not escorted by bandits they recognize. Each fights until reduced to half its hit points or fewer, then flees. A character who succeeds on a DC 15 Wisdom (Animal Handling) check as an action convinces one frog to not attack or to stop attacking. If the character or any of their allies attacks or harms the frog, it resumes combat.
The frogs spend much of their time resting in pools of murky, frigid water in Croaker Cave. A character who succeeds on a Wisdom (Perception) check opposed by a frog’s Dexterity (Stealth) check notices a frog hiding in a pool. If a frog goes undetected, it attacks with surprise when a character comes within 5 feet of the pool.
Uttolot Bandits
The bandits sent out with Hulil by the Uttolot family are all dwarves and elves. Up to ten bandits normally occupy Croaker Cave, but only three are currently present (in area C2). They use the bandit stat block and have darkvision out to a range of 60 feet. In addition, the dwarves have resistance to poison damage and have advantage on saving throws against poison; the elves have advantage on saving throws against being charmed and immunity to magic that would put them to sleep
Uttolot bandits attack any intruders on sight. Each fights until reduced to half its hit points or fewer, then flees the caves. If the characters capture an Uttolot bandit, they can learn the following information with a successful DC 10 Charisma (Intimidation) check:
- Hulil is sick with the same malady that killed Urgon Wenth.
- She plans on setting out for Shadycreek Run soon, hoping that trading the items her sister Tulgi stole from Pelc’s Curiosities allows her to pay for healing that will cure her.
Croaker Cave Features
The caverns and tunnels of the Croaker Cave complex are shown on map 5.9. Unless otherwise noted in an area’s description, the following features are common throughout all areas of Croaker Cave.
Ceilings
Cavern ceilings are 10 feet high, with only 8 feet of clearance beneath stalactites.
Walls
Climbing the rough walls of a cavern requires a successful DC 12 Strength (Athletics) check.
Light
The caverns contain no light sources, except in area C6, as the inhabitants of Croaker Cave rely on darkvision to see.
Frigid Pools
Pools of murky, frigid water within the caverns are created by melting snow on the rocky ground above dripping down through the ceiling. Each pool is 10 feet deep. A creature completely submerged in a pool must succeed on a DC 10 Constitution saving throw or gain one level of exhaustion. Creatures with resistance or immunity to cold damage automatically succeed on this saving throw. For each minute the creature spends submerged in a pool, it must repeat this saving throw, gaining another level of exhaustion on a failure.
C1. Entrance Pool
This area of the cave is close enough to the entrance that it is dimly lit by day and on clear moonlit nights. When the characters can see into this area, read:
With darkvision or an appropriate light source, the characters can see a 25-foot-long heavy wooden beam lying against the west wall of the cave at the south end the pool. The Uttolot bandits use the beam to cross the pool, and pull it back to the far side when they are in the cave.
Two giant ice frogs hide in the murky pool. If combat breaks out in this area, the bandits in area C2 quickly come to investigate.
C2. Training Pool
Three Uttolot bandits and two giant ice frogs normally occupy this cavern. If the bandits have not yet been alerted to disturbances, they are training the frogs. Add the following:
If the bandits went to investigate disturbances in adjacent areas, the frogs are hiding in the pool.
Bucket
The bucket holds six dead bats used as training treats. A character who offers a dead bat to a frog has advantage on their next Wisdom (Animal Handling) check made to control that frog’s behavior.
C3. Bat Cavern
A swarm of bats sleeps among the stalactites in this cavern. If anything disturbs the bats (including a light source or a loud noise in the cavern), the swarm attacks the source of the disturbance. The swarm fights until reduced to half its hit points or fewer, then flees out of the cave complex. If combat breaks out in this area, the bandits in area C2 come to investigate.
Treacherous Floor
The floor of this area is covered in slippery bat guano. Whenever a creature standing on the floor takes damage, it must succeed on a DC 10 Dexterity (Acrobatics) check or fall prone.
C4. Bandit Camp
One of the bedrolls covers the opening of a 10-foot-deep pit trap. The trap can be spotted with a DC 10 Wisdom (Perception) check. If not spotted, anyone walking across the bedroll falls into the pit, taking 3 (1d6) bludgeoning damage and landing prone. A creature that falls into the pit makes enough noise that the bandits in area C2 investigate.
Treasure
Searching all the bedrolls reveals that one contains an unopened bottle of Bald Dwarf Whisky (worth 25 gp), an alcohol made by elves in Uthodurn.
C5. Old Croaker’s Pool
Croaker Cave’s largest denizen—named Old Croaker by the Uttolot bandits—has claimed this pool. It hides in the water and attacks as other giant ice frogs. Old Croaker is a giant toad with immunity to cold damage.
Old Croaker has been trained to ferry Hulil and visitors to her cavern (area C6) across the pool. A character who succeeds on a DC 15 Wisdom (Animal Handling) check to convince Old Croaker to not attack the party can also convince the frog to ferry all the characters across the pool one at a time.
C6. Hulil’s Cavern
When the characters can see into this area, read:
Hulil Lutan (a neutral evil, female mountain dwarf cult fanatic with a walking speed of 15 feet, darkvision out to a range of 60 feet, resistance to poison damage, and advantage on saving throws against poison) and her apprentice, Raegrin Mau (a neutral evil, male wood elf cultist with darkvision out to a range of 60 feet, advantage on saving throws against being charmed, and immunity to magic that would put him to sleep), are both in a state of deep meditation, praying to Tiamat for a cure for the dwarf’s affliction. Even if combat broke out in area C5, they remain unaware of the characters’ presence until they are disturbed or attacked. Hulil and Raegrin are both greedy servants of Tiamat and the Uttolot family. Raegrin follows Hulil’s every order with unshaking loyalty.
Hulil is so desperate for a cure for the ailment that is slowly killing her that she doesn’t attack the characters when she first sees them, as long as she isn’t attacked first. Instead, she orders them to stand down and demands to know why they came to the cave. A quick-thinking character can claim to have come to help Hulil (at the direction of her sister, after receiving a message from Tiamat, or with another appropriate rationale). With a successful Charisma (Deception) check opposed by Hulil’s Wisdom (Insight) check, the character convinces the dwarf that all the characters are her allies. On a failed check, or if the characters challenge her, Hulil and Raegrin attack.
Campfire
Any creature that enters the area of the fire for the first time on its turn, or that starts its turn there, takes 3 (1d6) fire damage.
What Hulil Knows
If the characters convince Hulil that they are her allies, or if they capture her or Raegrin and succeed on a DC 14 Charisma (Intimidation) check, they can learn the following information:
- Hulil believes she has a disease called frigid woe. Though she doesn’t know any more about the disease than its symptoms, she’s heard rumors that explorers in Eiselcross sometimes succumb to it.
- Hulil has guessed that her affliction was caused by one of the blue vials Tulgi stole from Pelc’s Curiosities, originally sold by Urgon Wenth. The vial was cracked, revealing that its lovely color was the result of a dark blue dust clinging to the interior.
- She is desperate to get to Shadycreek Run before the malady runs its course, hoping that she can trade the goods stolen by Tulgi for a cure.
Hulil used one of the vials to trap the chest containing the other stolen items (see “Stone Chest” below). Needing quick cash for the trip, she sold the other vial to Irven Liel, a human merchant staying at the Jolly Dwarf inn in Palebank Village while traveling with his family to Uthodurn.
Stone Chest
The stone chest’s outer lid is carved with the face of a dragon. A character who examines the chest and succeeds on a DC 12 Wisdom (Perception) check finds pin-sized openings in the dragon’s mouth that contain a blue powder. The powder can be removed with a successful DC 15 Dexterity check using thieves’ tools. A character who fails this check must succeed on a DC 11 Constitution saving throw or contract frigid woe (see the “Eiselcross” section of chapter 3 of Explorer's Guide to Wildemount).
A detect magic spell reveals that the chest radiates an aura of evocation magic. When a creature touches the chest without speaking a prayer to Tiamat, a gust of wind escapes the dragon’s mouth. If the blue powder is still in the dragon’s mouth, it forms a cloud that fills a 15-foot cube in front of the chest. Each creature within the area must succeed on a DC 11 Constitution saving throw or contract frigid woe.
Treasure
The chest contains the rest of the treasure found by Urgon Wenth—a gilded scroll case covered in a cosmological map of the multiverse (worth 15 gp), a jade statuette of a storm giant (25 gp), a quiver containing six +1 arrows, and a silver ring set with a jasper stone (50 gp). It also holds Hulil’s wealth—415 cp, 234 sp, 43 ep, and 112 gp—and a receipt indicating that Hulil sold a blue glass vial to Irven Liel for 100 gp.
Development
When the characters are done exploring Croaker Cave, they should know the blue glass vials found by Urgon Wenth are the source of the strange malady that is turning people into ice statues, and that Irven Liel has one of those vials. If the characters don’t have a chance to question Hulil or Raegrin, you can have the chest also contain a journal or notes that provide the information they need and point them toward the Jolly Dwarf inn.
Jolly Dwarf
The Jolly Dwarf is a cozy, two-story inn run by a retired adventurer named Arl Bortock. When the characters enter the inn, read:
Arl Bortock (a neutral good, male, mountain dwarf veteran) works behind the bar. If the characters ask for Irven Liel, the dwarf points them toward the laughing family.
Irven Liel, his husband Fenton Tethwick (both neutral good, male Dwendalian human commoners), and their adopted daughters Honor and Magic (both tiefling noncombatants) are friendly and invite the characters to join them. Irven and Fenton are traveling booksellers. If asked about the vial, Irven explains that they met Hulil Lutan on the road to Palebank Village. She said she was moving and needed to shed some possessions, so she offered him a chance to buy the Aeorian relic at a great price. He plans to sell the item for a profit in Uthodurn.
If the characters tell Irven the truth about the vial, he panics, saying that everyone in his family has touched the object. Fenton gives the vial to the characters, handing it to them wrapped up in a cloth. Any character who touches the vial directly must succeed on a DC 11 Constitution saving throw or contract frigid woe.
Development
Once the characters have the cracked vial, they can report back to Elro Aldataur. He pays them 100 gp as promised but asks the characters to stay in town. He is quite certain he’ll have need of their services again soon.
The next morning, Elro comes to the characters with somber news. Irven, Fenton, Honor, and Magic are all afflicted with frigid woe. Seeing the blue powder in the vial has allowed Elro to consult old lore and learn a few things about the disease. (If the characters didn’t learn the name of the affliction from Hulil, Elro is the source of that name as well.)
Elro knows that frigid woe is said to have only one cure—a milky liquid the Aeorians stored in gold vials. He hopes that the cure might be found in the same place Urgon found the vials of frigid woe in Eiselcross. The retired ranger asks the characters to travel to the islands of Eiselcross and retrace Urgon’s path, hoping they can find the cure. He offers the party 200 gp for the task, and reminds them that time is of the essence for Irven and his family—not to mention for any characters infected with frigid woe. If the characters accept, Elro gives them a day to prepare and tells them to find him at the village docks when they’re ready to set sail.
Character Advancement
The characters advance to 2nd level before traveling to Eiselcross.
Traveling to Eiselcross
When the characters are ready to leave for Eiselcross, Elro Aldataur provides them with the following information:
- Elro has arranged passage to Eiselcross for the characters on the Remorhaz, a sailing ship owned and operated by the Glassblades.
- The characters will be taken to Syrinlya, an Uthodurnian outpost on Foren, Eiselcross’s largest island. Once there, they should talk to a dwarf named Orvo Mustave, who has gone on numerous expeditions into the wilds of Eiselcross with Urgon Wenth.
- Once the characters have found the cure, they should use whatever they need for themselves, then give the rest to an elf in Syrinlya who goes by the name “the Buyer.” They can tell the Buyer to teleport the cure to Elro in Palebank Village.
The islands of Eiselcross are covered in ice and snow, and are always well below freezing. Characters who don’t already have cold weather gear will want to purchase it, or they will be subject to extreme cold (see chapter 5 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide).
NPCs Infected with Frozen Woe
The characters are in a race against time to cure Irven and his family (and possibly Hulil and Tulgi Lutan, if the characters are feeling merciful toward those two hardened criminals). Irven and his family have at least sixty days before any of them might die, Hulil has at least thirty days, and Tulgi has at least twenty days. You can make saving throws for these NPCs against the disease every ten days, or you can just decide their final fates.
Voyage of the Remorhaz
It takes the Remorhaz nine days to get to Syrinlya. This trip could be uneventful, or you could populate the ship with interesting NPCs and have the characters encounter ocean monsters, Revelry pirates, or severe weather.
When the ship reaches Syrinlya, read:
Morgo Delwur (a neutral good, female mountain dwarf werebear) has lived in Syrinlya for years. She can show the characters around and answer any questions they have about the settlement, providing any of the details found in chapter 3 of Explorer's Guide to Wildemount. If the characters ask about Orvo Mustave or the Buyer, Morgo points out where both live. Though Morgo never adventured with Urgon Wenth and wasn’t a close friend, she is sad to hear of the dwarf’s passing.
Morgo and the other explorers in Syrinlya know about frigid woe and the disease’s terrible effects. If the characters have any unanswered questions about the disease, the explorers share what they know.
Syrinlya
As Morgo leads the characters through Syrinlya, read:
Bertron’s Yurt
The characters are welcome to this yurt during their time in Syrinlya. When they first enter, read:
Once the characters are settled, Morgo wishes them luck and leaves to prepare for an expedition of her own (see the “Can You Help Us?” sidebar). The crate contains 50 days of rations, a 50-foot silk rope, a blanket, a grappling hook, a miner’s pick, and a book titled Adventure Sexy: Impress Potential Lovers with Great Deeds by Scanlan Shorthalt.
The Buyer
Morgo Delwur or any other resident of Syrinlya can point out the Buyer’s hut to the characters. It is Syrinlya’s largest yurt. When the characters enter, read:
The Buyer (lawful neutral, nonbinary, high elf mage) is a mysterious elf who purchases Aeorian relics in Syrinlya for the Uthodurnian government. See the “Syrinlya” section of chapter 3 of Explorer's Guide to Wildemount for more information about the Buyer and their business. The green faerie dragon is Dew, the elf’s familiar.
The Buyer has been in Syrinlya since the day the outpost was founded. They can answer any questions the characters might have about the outpost’s history, the island of Foren, or frigid woe. If the characters want to confirm that the Buyer is able to quickly send the cure for frigid woe to Palebank Village, the elf tells them that the stone chest in the yurt has the magical capability to teleport objects on command.
In addition to the aid they provide in getting the cure back to Palebank Village, the Buyer offers to purchase any Aeorian relics the characters want to sell.
Stone Chest
A detect magic spell reveals that the chest radiates an aura of conjuration magic. When an item is placed in the chest, the Buyer can teleport it to secret locations in Uthodurn or its outpost of Palebank Village, with those locations known only to the authorities of those settlements.
Orvo Mustave
Morgo Delwur or any other resident of Syrinlya can point out Orvo Mustave’s tent to the characters. When the characters approach the tent, read:
Orvo Mustave (a chaotic good, male mountain dwarf scout) is a curious and soft-spoken explorer. He enjoys uncovering the secrets of Eiselcross as much as he does uncovering the region’s treasures. He is genuinely interested in the characters’ lives, and asks them lots of questions after inviting them to share his fire.
Orvo’s Story
Orvo is grief-stricken to hear about the demise of his friend Urgon Wenth. If the characters ask Orvo about the blue vials that brought disease to Palebank Village, Orvo shares the following information:
- Orvo and Urgon found the blue vials in Salsvault, an Aeorian ruin partially submerged in water in a region of Foren where the glacial ice is thin. Explorers call this region Thin Sheets. Orvo believes the ruin is as well preserved as it is because the structure was reinforced with magic, as were many of Aeor’s buildings that housed hazardous materials or secret projects.
- Salsvault is two hundred miles northwest of Syrinlya. Ice mephits are drawn to the magic of something at that location. Orvo and Urgon found the ruin after following one of the creatures.
- Salsvault appears to have been an Aeorian lab. Orvo and Urgon explored only three of its chambers before being chased away by animated suits of armor.
- The dwarves didn’t know what the vials contained.
- Orvo sold his share of the treasure from Salsvault to the Buyer. Urgon decided to hang onto his share until he returned home to Palebank Village.
Into the Wilds
After speaking with Orvo, the characters can make whatever preparations they need before heading into the wilds of Eiselcross. If they wish to obtain more supplies before setting out, there are no shops in Syrinlya, but many of the explorers at the camp are willing to trade goods and equipment.
Overland Travel
The characters must travel two hundred miles over ice and snow to reach Salsvault, the ruin where Urgon Wenth found the vials of frigid woe. It’s up to the characters whether they want to move at a fast, medium, or slow pace (see “Movement” in chapter 8 of the Player’s Handbook). If any character has a walking speed of less than 25 feet because of a frigid woe infection, use the Reduced Travel Speeds table to determine how far the party can travel in a day.
| Slowest Character Speed | Slow Pace | Medium Pace | Fast Pace |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15–20 ft. | 12 miles | 18 miles | 24 miles |
| 5–10 ft. | 6 miles | 12 miles | 18 miles |
As the characters travel, use the Encounters in Eiselcross section to generate random encounters.
| d6 | Encounter |
|---|---|
| 1 | The characters encounter 1d4 wildfolk scouts hunting a saber-toothed tiger. The scouts are out of arrows and willing to trade equipment and information to replenish their ammunition. |
| 2 | The characters encounter a lost Cerberus Assembly mage trying to return to Balenpost. The rest of the mage's team died in the ruins of Aeor, and there is a 50 percent chance the mage carries a recently recovered Aeorian item. |
| 3 | The characters find a griffon with an arrow in its wing that prevents it from flying. A character who succeeds on a DC 15 Wisdom (Animal Handling) check can approach the griffon without being attacked. Such a character can remove the arrow, restoring the griffon's ability to fly, after which the griffon allows the character to ride it as a mount for the next 1d10 days. |
| 4 | The characters encounter the revenant of a dead explorer from Balenpost who was murdered by one of its team and is looking for vengeance. |
| 5 | The characters find a 3-foot-tall, 50-pound egg. If they keep the egg in a cold environment for 1d10 weeks, a white dragon wyrmling hatches from it. |
| 6 | A young remorhaz ambushes the characters. |
After traveling forty miles, the characters enter Thin Sheets. This region is known for its large patches of thin ice over deep, frigid water (see the rules for frigid water and thin ice in chapter 5 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide).
Finding Salsvault
When the characters have traveled two hundred miles, one character who acts as a scout for the group should make a DC 15 Wisdom (Survival) check each day. On a failure, the character finds no signs of Salsvault. On a success, the character finds the trail of an ice mephit, which leads to Salsvault after a journey of 1d4 hours. If the check succeeds by 5 or more, the character finds Salsvault directly.
Salsvault
Salsvault was once a laboratory in the city of Aeor, where mages who specialized in necromancy and transmutation magic crafted constructs and diseases to be weaponized against their enemies. Many of the laboratory’s creations remain active, still guarding the diseases and treasures within.
Approaching Salsvault
As the characters approach Salsvault, read:
Ziro and Glacies, two ice mephits, hide near the entrance to Salsvault, waiting for someone to open the door. A character with a passive Wisdom (Perception) score of 13 or higher notices the mephits. If any characters interact with the mephits, they attack in response. If the characters don’t notice the mephits, the creatures follow them inside Salsvault, attracted to the frigid woe within. The first time the characters enter an area containing vials of frigid woe, the mephits seek out and break the vials, reveling in releasing the cold-based magical energy within.
Sealed Entrance
The entrance to Salsvault is frozen shut. The characters can force the door open with a successful DC 15 Strength check or by dealing 10 bludgeoning or fire damage to the ice that seals the door. Unsealing the door with bludgeoning damage draws the attention of two suits of animated armor in area S3, which gather in area S1 and attack the characters as soon as they enter.
Salsvault Features
The locations in Salsvault are detailed on map 5.10. Unless otherwise noted in an area’s description, the following features are common throughout all areas of Salsvault.
Ceilings
The ceilings in Salsvault’s rooms are 10 feet high, with 8-foot-high doorways connecting them.
Chests
Stone chests two feet on each side are built into the floors in several areas. A detect magic spell reveals a faint aura of abjuration magic radiating from each chest. A chest has AC 17; 27 hit points; resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage; and immunity to poison and psychic damage.
If an area’s description notes a locked chest, the chest’s lock can be picked with a successful DC 15 Dexterity check using thieves’ tools or forced open with a successful DC 18 Strength check. Ferol Sal (see area S17) carries a master key that locks or unlocks all chests in Salsvault.
Doors and Walls
Salsvault’s heavy doors are made of black stone, and its walls are made of blue stone. A detect magic spell reveals a faint aura of abjuration magic radiating from the doors and walls. Each door and each 10-foot section of wall has AC 17; 27 hit points; resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage; and immunity to poison and psychic damage.
If an area’s description notes a locked door, the lock can be picked with a successful DC 15 Dexterity check using thieves’ tools, or the door can be forced open with a successful DC 18 Strength check. Ferol Sal (see area S17) carries a master key that locks or unlocks all the doors in Salsvault.
Aeorian Robes
The undead in the complex wear archaic-looking robes. With a successful DC 12 Intelligence (History) check, a character recognizes the robes as being of Aeorian style. The characters can also find intact robes of the same style in the complex. Constructs and zombies in the complex don’t attack a character wearing intact robes, unless the character attacks first.
Eastern Slope
Salsvault is tilted in the ice, with its east side lower than its west side. Every area within the complex features a gentle slope downward to the east.
Light
Unless otherwise noted, wall sconces with continual flame spells cast on them brightly light the interior of Salsvault.
Temperature
Though Salsvault’s interior is guarded from wind and snow, the temperatures within the structure are still well below freezing.
Water
Some areas of Salsvault are partially filled with seawater flowing in from beneath the ice of Thin Sheets. A creature that starts its turn in the frigid water must succeed on a DC 10 Constitution saving throw or gain one level of exhaustion. Creatures that lair within the water in the complex are immune to this effect.
Denizens of Salsvault
Many of the creatures the characters can encounter in Salsvault have similar characteristics and tactics.
Beasts
Several sea creatures haunt the submerged areas of the complex. These beasts attack characters who enter the water, fighting until reduced to half their hit points or fewer before fleeing.
Constructs
When Salsvault crashed into Foren, a number of its construct guardians survived. Those constructs continue to guard the complex, fighting intruders until they flee Salsvault. The constructs won’t leave the complex willingly and won’t pursue characters who do so. The constructs don’t attack the undead of Salsvault, understanding on some level that those undead are the remains of the people who created them.
Undead
The humanoids working in Salsvault died when it crashed into Foren. Just before impact, Ferol Sal, the necromancer in charge of Salsvault, released an experimental disease that caused any humanoids who died in the complex to return as undead. Most of those affected returned as zombies that attack intruders on sight and fight to the death. Ferol returned as a wight and has continued to work obsessively in his personal lab (area S17) ever since. Because of the cold here, all the undead are relatively well preserved.
S1. Entrance Chamber
The inscription is in an archaic version of Draconic that was spoken in ancient Aeor. It can be read by any character who can read Draconic with a few minutes of study, or by anyone with access to a comprehend languages spell or similar magic. The message reads: “Welcome to Salsvault! Visitors, please wait here for an escort, and DO NOT TOUCH ANYTHING WITHOUT PERMISSION.”
If the characters make any noise louder than a whisper in this chamber, the suits of animated armor in area S3 come to investigate.
Locked Door
The door that leads to area S4 is locked (see “Salsvault Features,” at the beginning of this section).
Open Door
The door that leads to area S2 is slightly ajar. A character who examines the door and succeeds on a DC 10 Intelligence (Investigation) check notes that it was recently forced open (by Urgon and Orvo when they explored Salsvault).
S2. Ransacked Frigid Woe Laboratory
If the characters make any noise louder than a whisper in this chamber, the suits of animated armor in area S3 investigate the noise.
Any examination of the chests reveals that they are built into the floor. A character who examines the sand on the ground near the chest and succeeds on a DC 12 Wisdom (Perception) check notices two sets of dwarf-sized boot prints (from Orvo and Urgon) as well as two sets of boot prints made by human-sized feet (the animated armor from area S3).
S3. Animated Armor Laboratory
Two suits of animated armor normally stand guard in this chamber. If the armor didn’t leave to investigate disturbances in areas S1 or S2, both suits are here when the characters arrive, and you can add the following:
Rescue Mission
One of the blacksmiths who worked in this chamber was crushed by a stone table that broke into rubble when Salsvault crashed into Foren. Since then, the blacksmith has been a zombie restrained beneath the rubble and unable to break free. Any character who examines the feet notices them twitching with a successful DC 12 Wisdom (Perception) check.
If the characters want to help the “victim” under the rubble, one character can remove enough rubble to free the zombie in 10 minutes. Multiple characters working together can reduce the time proportionately. As soon as it is freed, the zombie attacks.
Treasure
The zombie wears an apron containing a set of damaged mithral smith’s tools (worth 50 gp).
S4. Frigid Woe Laboratory
The inscription in archaic Draconic reads: “Disease storage. Authorized personnel only.”
Chests
These stone chests are locked (see “Salsvault Features” at the beginning of this section) and magically trapped. When a creature makes a failed attempt to pick the chest’s lock, or attacks or attempts to force the chest open, the chest shoots a beam of cold energy at the creature. The beam is +4 to hit and deals 4 (1d8) cold damage on a hit.
A character who searches the exterior of either chest and succeeds on a DC 13 Wisdom (Perception) check finds an archaic Draconic word for “ice” carved in tiny letters near the hinges. With a successful DC 10 Intelligence (Arcana) check, a character senses that the inscription is connected to a trap. Scratching out the inscription with a tool or a weapon causes the trap to stop functioning on that chest.
Each chest is packed with fine sand, within which are nestled two vials of frigid woe (see the “Vials of Frigid Woe” sidebar earlier in this adventure).
Iron Lever
A character who examines the lever notices spots of faded red paint on it with a successful DC 13 Wisdom (Perception) check. As an action, a creature can pull the lever down, causing flames to shoot down from the ceiling in area S5. Even with the door closed, a hiss can be heard in this area when the flames are active. A creature can use an action to push the lever back up, which shuts off the flames. See area S5 for more information on this hazard.
Locked Doors
The doors from this area to areas S1 and S5 are locked. The door to area S5 is also trapped.
Trapped Door
A detect magic spell reveals an aura of conjuration magic radiating from the locked door to area S5. When a creature makes a failed attempt to pick the door’s lock, or attacks or attempts to force the door open, that creature is teleported into the middle of area S15.
A character who searches the door and succeeds on a DC 13 Intelligence (Investigation) check finds an archaic Draconic word for “disappear” carved in tiny letters near the foot of the door on both sides. With a successful DC 10 Intelligence (Arcana) check, a character senses that the inscription is connected to a trap. Scratching out either inscription with a tool or a weapon causes the trap to stop functioning.
S5. Disease Storage
If the iron lever in area S4 has been raised, read the following when the door to this room is opened:
If the flames are off, read:
If the flames are active, each creature that enters this area or starts its turn there must make a DC 12 Dexterity saving throw, taking 4 (1d8) fire damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
If the flames aren’t active, a character who succeeds on a DC 13 Wisdom (Perception) check notes a faint oily smell in the room and notices pin-sized holes covering the ceiling.
Chests
Each chest is locked (see “Salsvault Features” at the beginning of this section), packed with fine sand, and contains three vials of frigid woe (see the “Vials of Frigid Woe” sidebar earlier in this adventure).
S6. North Hall
Three human zombies in tattered Aeorian robes roam this hall aimlessly and attack intruders on sight.
S7. Unoccupied Dorm
One of the footlockers holds an intact Aeorian robe (see “Salsvault Features” at the beginning of this section).
S8. Ruined Dorm
Salsvault’s crash into Foren destroyed the magic torches in this room, leaving it shrouded in darkness. When the characters can see into this area, read:
The floor of this chamber is covered in rubble, making it difficult terrain. A rug of smothering is hidden beneath the rubble. A character with a passive Wisdom (Perception) score of 12 or higher notices the rug, but gets no hint that it is animated.
A search of the rubble and a successful DC 14 Wisdom (Perception) check turns up an intact Aeorian robe (see “Salsvault Features” at the beginning of this section).
S9. Zombie Dorm
When the characters can see into this area, read:
The four zombies attack as soon as they see intruders. The footlockers are empty.
S10. Ferol Sal’s Chamber
The door to Ferol Sal’s personal quarters is locked. When the characters can see this area, read:
Though the undead Ferol no longer sleeps here, he and the zombies tidied up his personal space after Salsvault crashed into Eiselcross.
Chest
The chest contains Ferol’s treasure (see below), along with a swarm of undead snakes that attacks any creature that opens the chest. The swarm uses the stat block for a swarm of poisonous snakes, with these changes:
- The swarm is made of Tiny undead that don’t require air, food, drink, or sleep.
- The swarm has immunity to poison damage and the poisoned condition.
Desk
Any search of the desk turns up a bottle of dried ink, several used quills, five sheets of blank parchment, and a piece of paper with a faded message written on it in archaic Draconic. A character who understands Draconic can spend a few minutes to piece together the meaning of the note, or it can be deciphered with a comprehend languages spell or similar magic. The note reads:
Treasure
The chest contains 1,006 sp, 45 ep, and 201 gp in Aeorian coinage.
S11. Kitchen
Salsvault’s crash into Foren destroyed the magic torches in this room, leaving it shrouded in darkness. When the characters can see into this area, read:
When the characters enter the room, four animated kitchen knives fly up from the floor and attack. The knives are flying swords, with these changes:
- Each knife is a Tiny construct with 12 (5d4) hit points and a challenge rating of 1/8 (25 XP).
- Instead of a longsword attack, each knife makes a melee attack (+4 to hit) that deals 3 (1d4 + 1) piercing damage on a hit.
Old frozen cheese, bread, meat, and produce cover the floor, all well rimed and inedible.
S12. Dining Hall
The two zombies occupying the dining hall attack any intruders. All the other features of this room have been reduced to rubble.
S13. Drowned Library
The water is deeper than it appears beneath the ruined books and parchments, with the floor along the eastern side of the room having collapsed to a depth of 15 feet. A giant octopus hides here, having claimed this room as its lair. A character who succeeds on a Wisdom (Perception) check opposed by the octopus’s Dexterity (Stealth) check notices the beast. See “Salsvault Features,” earlier in this section, for the effects of entering the water.
Treasure
A character with a passive Wisdom (Perception) score of 12 or higher, or one who succeeds on a DC 12 Wisdom (Perception) check, notices a watertight scroll case floating in the water. The case holds two spell scrolls of detect magic.
S14. South Hall
Three well-preserved human zombies in tattered robes roam this hall aimlessly, attacking any intruders that catch their attention.
S15. Animated Weapon Storage
The door to this room is locked. When the characters can see into this area, read:
The mages of Salsvault stored animated weapons in this room, most of which were destroyed in the crash. Five flying swords lay among the debris, attacking any characters who enter.
The broken weapons on the floor make this area difficult terrain. Any creature that falls prone in this room takes 2 (1d4) piercing damage.
S16. Golem Laboratory
As the characters approach this room, read:
The door is locked. If the characters open it, read:
When Salsvault crashed into Foren, this golem servant of the mages was driven mad from the damage it took. Ferol locked the golem in this room ages ago. The golem uses the flesh golem stat block, with these changes:
- The golem has 5 hit points remaining, and its Berserk trait is activated.
- The golem has the use of only one arm and can’t use its Multiattack. Its challenge rating is 1 (200 XP).
Debris
The golem has long since smashed all the objects in this chamber not destroyed by Salsvault’s crash. Any search of the debris turns up only bits of bone, clay, iron, stone, and paper.
S17. Ferol’s Laboratory
The undead Ferol Sal has worked tirelessly in the laboratory for centuries, obsessed with crafting a disease that can kill the gods. Despite having made no progress in all that time, he keeps working. Ferol is a wight with an Intelligence of 16 (+3).
Roleplaying Ferol
Ferol knows nothing of Exandria’s history since Aeor’s crash, and his memory of the distant past is almost as hazy. His transformation into a wight and the centuries of solitude since have driven him quite mad. He cares only about taking revenge on the gods—who he incorrectly assumes are still active in Exandria. As a resident of Aeor, Ferol doesn’t speak Common, though he can communicate in the archaic Draconic of Aeor, as well as an archaic form of Elven. Characters who speak Draconic or Elven can communicate with him, albeit slowly.
When Ferol notices the characters, he demands to know what they’re doing in Salsvault. Any character who claims they have come to help Ferol with his work and succeeds on a Charisma (Deception) check opposed by the wight’s Wisdom (Insight) check earns the undead’s trust. The check is made with advantage if characters who found and were able to read the note in area S10 mention Ferol’s plans to craft a god-killing disease.
If Ferol trusts the characters, he tells them to stay away from the locked golem lab (area S16). If they ask about the cure for frigid woe, he tells them they can find it locked in a chest in what he calls the curative laboratory (area S18). A character who succeeds on a DC 15 Charisma (Persuasion) check can convince Ferol to provide the key that safely unlocks the chest.
If the characters don’t earn Ferol’s trust, the wight attacks, fighting until destroyed.
Ferol’s Keys
Ferol carries two keys: one that works all the doors in Salsvault and another that works all the chests built into the floor within the complex (see “Salsvault Features”).
Shelves
The shelves hold spell components, reagents, and laboratory supplies that are far past their prime. However, a character who spends a few minutes searching the shelves can collect enough workable tools and reagents to put together a set of alchemist’s supplies.
Tables
Each table holds a working set of alchemist’s supplies that Ferol uses to experiment with frigid woe. If a creature is forcibly moved into a table, the delicate equipment on that table breaks and the creature must succeed on a DC 11 Constitution saving throw or contract frigid woe.
S18. Drowned Curative Laboratory
Aeorian mages worked in this chamber to ensure that they could cure the diseases they created. Four giant crabs now lair here, hiding beneath the kelp in the 5-foot-deep water and attacking any creatures that intrude. A character with a passive Wisdom (Perception) score of 14 or higher notices the crabs, which attack with surprise if not spotted. See “Salsvault Features,” at the beginning of this section, for what happens if characters enter the frigid water. Additionally, the kelp makes the water difficult terrain for creatures other than the giant crabs.
Chest
A character with a passive Wisdom (Perception) score of 11 or higher notices a stone chest built into the floor and submerged in the water against the back wall. The chest is locked (see “Salsvault Features” at the beginning of this section).
Kelp
The kelp counts as difficult terrain.
Treasure
The chest is packed with fine sand and contains twenty doses of frigid woe antidote (see “Eiselcross” in chapter 3 of Explorer's Guide to Wildemount) and an ersatz eye (see chapter 6 of Explorer's Guide to Wildemount).
Concluding the Adventure
You can roll for random encounters on the way back to Syrinlya (see “Encounters in Eiselcross”), or you can allow the characters an uneventful trip as reward for a job well done. When the characters arrive in Syrinlya, they can arrange for the Buyer to teleport the antidote for frigid woe to Palebank Village. After doing so, the elf pays out the 200 gp reward on behalf of Elro Aldataur.
If the characters don’t successfully recover the frigid woe antidote in time to save Irven and his family, all four family members succumb to the disease. If the characters are successful, they have the thanks of Elro Aldataur, Irven and his family, the people of Palebank Village, and the explorers of Syrinlya.
Character Advancement
At the end of this adventure, the characters reach 3rd level. This might mark the beginning of a campaign in the Biting North. In particular, the Buyer suggests that the characters could easily find their fortunes exploring Eiselcross. Alternatively, their success in this mission might inspire the characters to seek out new realms and new adventures elsewhere in Wildemount.